An Alabama deputy faces human trafficking and rape charges after allegedly blackmailing his then-girlfriend into sexual servitude, according to charging documents.
Robert Lisle, 47, is a deputy with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
On Monday, August 31, Lisle was arrested in Blount County, records show.
The deputy is also charged with unlawful imprisonment and domestic violence/harassment, according to court documents.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office placed the officer on leave while conducting an administrative investigation, Chief Deputy Henry Irby III confirmed.
In July and August, Lisle allegedly threatened to call immigration authorities on his girlfriend, charging documents obtained by AL.com show.
The defendant used “blackmail to extort the victim into fulfilling sexual fantasies” during those two months, charging documents state.
On July 15, Lisle raped the woman, according to a criminal complaint.
On August 14, the deputy confined the woman to a bathroom, the complaint states.
Lisle had the woman delete videos that were on her phone while holding her in the room, news outlets reported.
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The officer is also accused of physically assaulting the woman on August 14, according to the complaint.
The complaint accuses Lisle of grabbing the woman’s ponytail and her throat while trying to gain access to her phone, WBMA reported. He additionally shoved her and hit her despite her having undergone recent surgery, the complaint states.
Ahead of his arrest, Lisle had sought a protection order against the woman, who he described as an ex, records viewed by AL.com show.
The deputy accused the woman of mental instability in his filing, according to the news outlet. A judge instead ordered both Lisle and the woman to stay 1,000 feet apart from each other as part of a restraining order, AL.com reported.
On Thursday, September 3, the Blount County District Attorney’s Office requested that the suspect be held without bond, WIAT reported.
Prosecutors argued the victim feared retaliation for alerting law enforcement to what she allegedly endured, the television station reported. At a hearing that day, a judge instead set Lisle’s bond at $80,600, according to the broadcaster.
Defense attorney David Luker acknowledged the seriousness of the charges against his client, per the TV station. “I think it is a very serious [allegation] and there are two sides,” Luker said.
“You’ve got a really good judge that’s handling this case and you’ve got good prosecutors,” Luker said, according to WIAT.
“And we’re all trying to do our job the best for our clients,” the defense attorney said, per the station.
“Prosecutors representing [the] state of Alabama and me representing Mr. Lisle, so it’s one of those cases where it’s just going to take a little time for it all to filter out,” Luker added.
Lisle was released from custody on the morning of Friday, September 4, according to jail records.
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